AWLO declares President Mahama ‘Global HeForShe Champion of Decade’

By Kingsley Webora TANKEH

The African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO) has declared the President John Dramani Mahama HeForShe Champion of the Decade for his track record in promoting gender equity by appointing women into positions of leadership and ultimately nominating the nation’s first female vice-president.

The honour was conferred at the AWLO HeForShe Summit in Accra. The summit, organised by AWLO Ghana Chapter, was on the theme ‘Redefining Masculinity: Men as Catalyst for Women’s Development’.

Delivering the summit’s keynote address, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who represented the president, sent a clarion call for men to move from being silent allies to becoming public advocates for gender parity.

“True masculinity is not in opposition to women’s empowerment. It is instrumental to it. We need men who are not only allies behind closed doors but also advocates in public, mentors in leadership spaces and defenders of equity in every sphere of society,” she emphasized.

The minister detailed President Mahama’s record of building the nation in a manner that leadership has no gender. According to her, this culminated in the historic nomination of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman twice as his running mate in the 2020 and 2024 general elections – which led to her becoming Ghana’s first female vice-president. She also indicated the Mahama administration has seen women appointed to lead strategic ministries like Foreign Affairs, Education and Justice.

“The honour being conferred on him today is a recognition well-deserved and a reflection of the values he has always upheld,” Dr. Lartey stated.

The founder and Global President of AWLO, Amb. Dr. Elisha Attai, noted the theme for this year’s summit couldn’t be timelier. He challenged the attendees not to see gender parity as an act of charity but a matter of social justice.

“True progress cannot happen when half of humanity is left behind, or when the other half is disconnected from the responsibility of change. This is not about men allowing women to rise. It is about justice, fairness and the recognition that when women rise, humanity rises with them,” he added.

He challenged every man to “question the norms we inherited”, mentor women in the workplace and raise boys to see equality as normal. “Let us redefine masculinity not as a barrier but as a bridge to women’s development,” he urged.

Vice-president of AWLO Ghana Chapter Sika Twum shared an anecdote from a government ministry visit to illustrate the critical need for this cultural shift.

“I entered one ministry and much to my surprise there was not a single female in the office. When I asked  the minister, he admitted there were only two women employed. Their role? “We send them to go and buy lunch for us,” she recounted.

“I’m saying this because the whole idea of HeForShe is timely,” Mrs. Twum emphasised, highlighting that the summit will serve as a vital platform to dismantle such entrenched norms.

The summit, hosted by AWLO Ghana chapter just one year after its inauguration, was designed to champion actionable change, featuring masterclasses and networking sessions aimed at fostering cross-continental collaboration.

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